It took a short while for me to realise that the time of 2.596 seconds you were referring to was someone's time solving not a 4x4 but a 6x6! That is of course impossible. (The same puzzler solved another 6x6 in 40.280 seconds, which is a much more realistic time.)

Still, somehow, one feels solvers are in use by more than one denizen of this club.

There's quite a bit of software I wrote that's trying to make it hard/impossible for people using solvers.So I'm pretty confident that the people at the top are legit.

Also, by doing the timed puzzles myself I get a good sense of what is possible (and mybest times are pretty decent )

Of course, when someone uses a solver to solve the regular puzzles (& Killer Sudokus)there's not much I can do about that (i.e. it is possible to collect lots ofpoints without ever knowing how to solve the puzzles, but where's the fun in that).

Of course, when someone uses a solver to solve the regular puzzles (& Killer Sudokus)there's not much I can do about that (i.e. it is possible to collect lots ofpoints without ever knowing how to solve the puzzles, but where's the fun in that).

Patrick

I agree wholeheartedly - about the fun part.

Piotr

Posted on:Thu Dec 06, 2012 11:33 pm

Posts: 3Joined: Mon Nov 05, 2012 4:32 pm

Re: 2.596

'sup?

pnm wrote:

both his times (the other was 40.28) were done using a solver in fact.for the first he typed in the solution himself (row by row), for the 2nd it was a program.

i don't remember getting 40s at all, but if i did, it most probably wasn't by solver, because it would took me longer to type that puzzle, and the solution in. on the other hand i suck at doing them fast, so... umm... dunno.

pnm wrote:

A bit annoying, I sent him a note asking not to use a solver anymore,

whoops, didn't see. i don't use that email.

opacitaviola wrote:

I agree, very annoying, now i will certainly never be number 1 on the 6x6 timed (i know - what a wit eh)

if they didn't remove my result you'd just need to write more automatic solver ;P

opacitaviola wrote:

Still, somehow, one feels solvers are in use by more than one denizen of this club.

nooooo waaaaay. i'm absolutely sure i'm the only one lazy/hard working enough to do that.

pnm wrote:

There's quite a bit of software I wrote that's trying to make it hard/impossible for people using solvers.

oh, i wonder, how would it be possible...

pnm wrote:

Also, by doing the timed puzzles myself I get a good sense of what is possible